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United States Patent | 6,173,234 |
Lee | January 9, 2001 |
The method for determining the sufficiency of fluid in a hydrodynamic fluid bearing motor involves making a first determination of a range of fluid bearing fly-heights for motors having a sufficient quantity of fluid within the hydrodynamic fluid bearing, and for motors having an insufficient quantity of fluid within the hydrodynamic fluid bearing. Thereafter, the fly-height of a particular hydrodynamic fluid bearing motors can be determined and compared with the range of hydrodynamic fluid bearing fly-heights to provide a determination of the sufficiency of fluid within the particular hydrodynamic fluid bearing motor. Determining the fly-height of a particular hydrodynamic fluid bearing motor involves the utilization of non-contact displacement probes that generate a first signal indicative of the displacement of a rotating component of the bearing at a time when the component is rotating at a maximum fly-height. The probes then generate a second signal indicative of the displacement of the rotating component at a time when said component has ceased its flying within the hydrodynamic bearing. The difference between the first and second signals is an indication of the fly-height of said hydrodynamic fluid bearing of said particular motor.
Inventors: | Lee; Chen-Hsiung (San Jose, CA) |
Assignee: | International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) |
Appl. No.: | 129976 |
Filed: | August 5, 1998 |
Current U.S. Class: | 702/50; 310/90.5 |
Intern'l Class: | G01F 023/20 |
Field of Search: | 311/11 29/888 417/18,32,20,45,53 73/516,660 384/100 141/51 360/137 310/90.5 702/50 |
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